Saturday, May 24, 2008

From the Irish Independent:



Obama to Address Irish Forum?


May 23, 2008
By Cahir O’Doherty

SENATOR Barack Obama may yet attend the 2008 Irish American Presidential Forum, depending on his schedule and whether his likely opponent Senator John McCain also participates.


Obama received the request to attend from former New York State Assemblyman John Dearie, who created the first presidential forum in 1984 and has run the event in every presidential election since.


Asked if McCain will attend the forum, Dearie told the Irish Voice, “I don’t have a fixed date, but it appears as if it will take place in Philadelphia in mid-June, perhaps at one of the colleges there. I’m very hopeful. It’s close to a final decision.”


Dearie added, “It’s going to be McCain and Obama in November there’s no question about that now. We have already submitted the request to both campaigns.


“My sense is that it’s going to be a one-two step — they’re aware that Senator Hillary Clinton has participated in it. They are also aware that there has not been a Republican participant. At the point when — not if — McCain accepts that will be the catalyst for the Obama campaign to seriously evaluate their own participation.”


Given all the recent speculation in the media about where the Catholic vote is this year, Dearie contends that this will be a helpful factor for both campaigns to consider.


“Our prime focus right now is finalizing the details with the McCain campaign. When that happens we’ll turn to the final step of this with Obama,” he said.


The questions the senators will be asked, if they attend, concern America’s role in the Irish peace process. They will be asked if they will send a special American peace envoy to Northern Ireland as both Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush did.


The forum will ask them to outline their position on immigration reform, if they will continue to host White House Irish trade conferences, and if they would welcome an annual visit and progress report form Northern Irish political leaders. The final question asks the candidates if they will make a presidential visit.


“We have the six point Irish American agenda that we asked Hillary Clinton about. Those questions will remain consistent and be asked of the other candidates too,” Dearie said.


“At the end of the day the goal is that before this election takes place we’ll be in a position to have both candidates participate and to have their positions on these questions summarized. The Irish American community will then be able to make an informed decision in November. “As every commentator has said the Catholic vote in this election is more significant than in the past and we’re a significant portion of that vote. My gut feeling is that they’ll both participate.”

12 comments:

Rustler45 said...

Katherine, is there anyone in the Democratic Party who wouldn't sell us down the drain to our enemies?

Every one of them is a liar, a scoundrel, and a sneak. How can you even put up this blog with a straight face and call yourself a Catholic.

Have you read the online book yet? Remember? LIBERALISM IS A SIN. Go here and read it.

http://sacredcowpunchers.sosblog.com/Sacred-Cow-Punchers-b1.htm

Oh, I know you won't. Your mind is closed and you are a hopeless heretic with your bucket of coal already in your hand.

GOT MATCHES?

Don't worry. Where you're going you won't need them.

Think I am joking? Not at all.

I will pray for you, but I think it's too late already.

Rustler45 said...

Looks like I'm the only one reading your blog. Such as it is.

Mattheus Mei said...

Hey, I really appreciate your site! Thanks for keeping me posted on the specifically Catholic perspectives on the Obama Candidacy, an look! It appears you also have a Troll! Congratulations, they're always fun, even though the spew and vitriol really is annoying.

Keep up the good work!

Mattheus Mei, a Southern White Catholic supporting Barack Obama for President

Rustler45 said...

Mattheus Mei arrogantly said...: It appears you also have a Troll!

That's really original mat.

TROLL definition: someone who a liberal doesn't like and who they are unable to refute with reason and logic.

Hey mat, So you're a bigot too I see. I bet some of your best friends are black? What an insult. You call yourself a Catholic and vote for a pro-choice/abortion politician. You're a liar and a hypocrite. You best go to confession and repent your sin of abortion.

No wonder you worry about a troll.

John said...

"Looks like I'm the only one reading your blog. Such as it is."

Secret admirer here.

Anonymous said...

Me too! Keep up the good work, Katherine! Irish for O'Bama!!!!!

Mattheus Mei said...

what I don't understand is why Rustler45 doesn't have a blog of his own where he can express himself so artistically as he does here? Perhaps it would serve him well to cohere his thoughts into long posts as opposed to such short and delightful colour commentary.

I understand that the author of this blog tolerates what amounts to a "cacophony of dissent for what appears to be the sake of dissenting" but Rustler all you do is troll this blog and critically refute everything that is posted without the slightest bit of thought or consideration. You say liberals don't respond with logic or reason, and I say that there's no use reasoning with the unreasonable and no use in being logical with those self imports who are themselves illogical. That's what makes you a troll.

Rustler45 said...

Hey mat, here's my blog. You are welcome to come there anytime.

http://lubiankaprison.phpbb-host.com/index.php?mforum=lubiankaprison

Do pictures of guns scare you mat? Do you think you can handle my blog. Come on over and get what's coming to you.

Don't be sneaking around now, OK mat?

Rustler45 said...

No mat, what makes me a troll is that you cannot deal with what I have to say and cannot logically answer my questions.

Mattheus Mei said...

Rustler says: No mat, what makes me a troll is that you cannot deal with what I have to say and cannot logically answer my questions.

Now we know exactly what you're made of Rustler: Within me lurks a veritable fountain of absurd positions, ridiculous arguments, straw men, malicious ad_hominems, and through it all a malodorous ambience of intolerance and hatred.

How can one respond logically to anyone so illogical.

And that is why you're a troll Rustler!

And your site is almost as interesting as the good folks over at Ivory Dome, almost.

Rustler45 said...

mat, now tell me, just what possessed you to refer to the Lubyanka Dungeon Ghost thread?

shiloh said...

John said...

"Looks like I'm the only one reading your blog. Such as it is."

Secret admirer here.

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Hey Katherine, rustler45 likes you, he really likes you! ;)

take care